Since the Boxing Day floods, we've understandably been focussed on people and businesses here in the Calder Valley but maybe now we can start to look outwards?

The Hebden Bridge Picture House is screening 'A Syrian Love Story' on the evening of Sunday 31st January. The film focusses on the reality of life in Syria. It will be followed by a Question and Answer session and there will be a collection for St Augustine's Centre who work with asylum seekers and refugees.

Filmed over 5 years, Sean McAllister's searing documentary charts an incredible odyssey to political freedom for married Syrian activists Raghda and Amer; charting their country's desperate slip into war, the Arab Spring, and their various separations and suffering under the Assad regime. A desperately moving story about the profound and intricate effects of war, it is timely and essential viewing.

When we were needing support here in Calderdale some Manchester based Syrian refugees came after the recent flooding, to help our community. What can we do to help Syrians? We hope that some of those refugees from Manchester linked to the Syrian 'Rethink Rebuild Society' in Manchester will be part of Q&A panel, together with Razan Alsous who is a refugee from Syria and local haloumi cheese maker from Huddersfield. It must be good, because the BBC has given her an award for its quality. They will be joined by Cllr Steve Sweeney who can give information about the Calderdale Council Syrian Resettlement scheme and also Vicky Ledwidge from St Augustine's Centre.

There will be a collection for St Augustine's Centre, Halifax.

The Picture House itself was seriously damaged in the floods but with seats upstairs, staff started screening films immediately power was restored. At that same time, Syrian refugees themselves from Manchester were helping local people and clearing debris at Burnley Road School, as well as also helping people across the border in Littleborough.

In Calderdale, the floods have had a devastating impact on thousands, and in Syria the war has affected millions. We know that through working together and helping each other here things are improving and we must hope that by offering a welcome and increased understanding the situation for displaced Syrians can also improve.

The evening will be very interesting and informative.

Doors open at the Picture House on Sunday 31st January at 7.45pm, with the film screening at 8.15pm, with 45 minutes available for the Q&A at the end.

The stalls are still, of course, closed as every seat was destroyed, but there is seating for over 200 upstairs and one row at the front will be reserved for the people, taking part in the Q&A.